


Going to Hell in a Hand-basket

by mage_989



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-11 00:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3308282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_989/pseuds/mage_989
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A post-episode look at the events of 'A Private Little War'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going to Hell in a Hand-basket

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the fact that in the episode Spock gets shot and gets comfort from Christine. Jim gets bit by the gorilla monster and gets comfort from McCoy and that life-saving ritual thing from Nona. Then finally McCoy gets shot and gets to basically stand there and bleed because the episode is over. Unacceptable I say so this is my attempt to give the poor doctor some TLC.

The shot rang out and Jim and Tyree ran forward to confront the villagers, neither noticing that McCoy had dropped to the ground behind them.

Upper arm, McCoy thought, a ‘safe’ place to be shot; as if such a thing existed. He gritted his teeth and tried to push the pain back to focus. He didn’t notice an exit wound as he pressed his right hand harder against the entry wound to stop the bleeding. He didn’t think the bullet had hit bone, but he couldn’t be sure without a full scan. It was still in there though and they hadn’t found out what material the bullets were made of. Lead was the most likely candidate which opened up the possibility of poisoning. Of course considering the dust being kicked up by the fight, and the fact that he had his very unsanitary hand against an open wound, infection would probably get him first.

He struggled to stand, while pressing a clear bandage to the wound. Then he walked over to Tyree’s wife looking for a pulse; there was none.

He felt all his energy draining out of him as he watched the fight. All of it for nothing and now it was only going to get worse. He looked down at Nona, at least her death had been quick.

When it was all over Tyree approached him.

“She’s dead,” he told him, his voice strained.

Tyree picked up the gun and went over to Jim.

“I want more of these, Kirk, many more. Yutan! Two of those who killed my wife have escaped; track them down.”

Tyree looked at Jim again.

“I will kill them,” he said, and followed Yutan.

McCoy sighed, well there went another paradise.

He found the phaser, and after brushing the dirt off, he picked it up and handed it to Jim. The wound was already numbing and he could move his hand and fingers well enough so there didn’t appear to be any nerve damage.

“Here.”

Jim looked at the weapon.

“Tomorrow...in the palm of her hands.”

“Well you got what you wanted.”

“Not what I wanted, Bones...what had to be.”

At that moment McCoy’s bag chirped and he pulled out the communicator and handed it to Jim.

“Kirk here.”

“Spock, Captain, I trust all has gone well.”

McCoy’s eyes lit up at that voice; his arm forgotten for a moment.

“Spock, are you alive?”

“An illogical question, Doctor, since obviously you are hearing my voice.”

“Well I don’t know why I was worried you can’t kill a computer.”

“Mr. Spock, ask Scotty how long it would take him to reproduce a hundred flintlocks,” Jim spoke into the communicator.

There was silence from the ship for a moment.

“I didn’t get that exactly, Captain…a hundred what?”

“A hundred...serpents, serpents for the Garden of Eden... we’re very tired, Mr. Spock, beam us up home.”

***

It had been a simple order, so of course nothing went as planned. Spock beamed down to assess the situation before getting any more weapons beamed down...and then the Klingons finally found the Enterprise. Scotty was forced to move the ship out of orbit, and with the three of them now stuck on the planet again they helped the hill people prepare Nona for her last rights; as there were several rituals involved in her burial.

Finally when the last mound of dirt had been moved Jim and the rest of the tribe went back to the camp; while McCoy wandered away from them, his limbs heavy. It hadn’t been that hard of work and yet he was exhausted. He sat down near a tree breathing hard and rubbed at his aching muscles knowing it would do no good; lethargy had set in. Dammit! He swore to himself as he tugged his shirt open further, trying to cool his skin, he was too warm.

“Doctor?”

McCoy looked up at Spock.

“Are you all right?”

McCoy nodded and made to stand up; and it all broke in an instant. From years of habit he did it without thinking. He put his full weight on his injured arm and the wound reopened.

McCoy gasped in pain and crumpled to the ground. Spock knelt down, making quick observations of the wound and pressed his hand against it.

“What-what are you doing?”

“It is vital to keep pressure on such a wound and because of my increased strength it is logical that I assist you in getting back to the camp.”

McCoy scowled. “Fine! But do me a favour and let’s not talk on the way!”

Respecting his request Spock remained silent as they made their way to the cave, where Jim was showing Yutan and Tyree how to keep the gun clean.

“Captain, you did not inform us there had been injuries,” Spock said, as he got McCoy onto one of the beds.

Jim turned to look at them; and saw the river of red running down McCoy’s arm.

“Bones! What happened?!”

McCoy couldn’t help but roll his eyes, now Jim noticed.

“We’ve recently been in a firefight with weapons that have poor aim! What the hell do you think happened?!”

Spock placed a hand against his forehead.

“Infection has already set in.”

He looked at McCoy’s arm again and the bandage now soaked in red and hanging off the wound. It was useless.

“Jim, elevate his arm.”

Jim quickly complied and raised the limb as Spock did his best to clean the wound. Jim looked at Tyree.

“I need sterile dressing!”

Tyree stared at him. “Sterile? What does that mean?”

Before Jim could explain Spock took off his shirt and started ripping it into sections.

“Spock what are you doing?”

“It is the cleanest material we have,” he said, tearing the cloth into long strips and wrapping the wound.

“What is he doing?” Yutan asked, moving in to get a closer look.

“Stay back!” Jim cried. “Give him space.”

“No...No don’t leave,” McCoy said faintly. “Watch him…You see how he ties it to keep pressure on the wound? Not too tight though, blood still has to circulate to the limb.”

***

When the wound had stopped bleeding again Jim watched over McCoy as Spock tried to increase the communicator’s range in hopes that he could contact the ship. Jim put a fresh cloth on McCoy’s forehead trying to control the fever; and McCoy groaned as the wound throbbed.

Jim moved away slightly and started searching through McCoy’s medical bag, looking for something to ease the pain.

“Don’t bother, Jim, it’s empty. I gave the last of it to you after the fight with the villagers.”

Jim shoved the bag aside in frustration and went back to McCoy’s side.

“I thought you said this planet was a medical treasure house.”

“I said it could be useful, just like the Atropa Belladonna is on Earth if you use it right. In raw form they pose a danger to us just like any other planet containing organisms we’ve never been exposed to.”

Jim sighed. “Bones, I’m sorry you had to explain all this to them. And I wish Scotty would come back with the ship. We have trained staff and scanners and…”

McCoy put his good hand against Jim’s arm and he shut up.

“We have that, Jim, they don’t. They should know how to treat such wounds otherwise more people are going to die from infections and bleed outs than from all the bullets those guns can hold.”

Jim frowned and flipped the cloth over so it was cool on his forehead again.

“Still want to give them those serpents, Jim?”

Jim didn’t answer and just continued changing cloths, trying to have some control over anything in this situation. When Spock insisted on taking over so Jim could rest, he went outside and began showing the hill people how to make soap from lye and animal fat; until the Enterprise finally came back.

***

Scotty had beaten the Klingons and taken them aboard as prisoners. Afterwards they beamed the three back onboard and the medical team was waiting.

For Jim it was an eerie sense of déjà-vu. Holding Bones up this time instead of Spock, he was reminded at how close he had come to losing both of his friends.

Nurse Chapel and M’Benga came up and helped them off the pad and onto the waiting gurney.

“Practicing techniques of removing 18th century shrapnel twice in three days it must be a record for us.”

“Thank you for that wonderful running commentary, Christine,” McCoy growled.

Nurse Chapel smiled, knowing that he was going to be okay, and took her boss to sickbay.

***

The Enterprise was docked at Starbase 16 to hand over the Klingons. Reports had been sent off explaining the findings, their actions, and recommendations. Even when all of it was finished and triple checked Jim hid in his quarters checking the computer, looking for something else to do; and finally looked up when McCoy came into the cabin holding a plate with a large slice of chocolate cake on it.

“You shouldn’t be sulking, Captain. I think it’s been a pretty darn good outcome all things considered.”

McCoy was right he really shouldn’t sulking he knew that. As bad as things had started out at the solution was almost sunny. The culture down on that planet might have a hope of being saved after all. The crew was safe and healing, but all Jim could do was poke at the cake and look at the white bandage wrapped around his friend’s arm.

McCoy squeezed Jim’s shoulder and sat down in the opposite chair.

“I’m all right, Jim.”

“It was close; too close.”

“It’s the risk of the service.”

“I should have noticed and had you beamed up immediately.”

“You had other things on your mind.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Jim cried, standing up. “You’re my friend I’m supposed to notice these things!”

“And when you did, Jim, you did what you always do. You stayed with me, you watched out for me.”

“It doesn’t seem like enough. What else can I do?”

“You can sit down, eat your cake, and then let me complain about it for the rest of the week. Oh, and try to remember how you feel right now the next time you get injured during a mission and try to get away from my sickbay.”

Jim grinned sheepishly and dropped back into his chair.

“Thanks, Bones.”

“Thank you, Jim. You did a lot for me down there.”

“Spock did a lot for you too you know.”

“I know, that’s why I’ve decided not to argue with him for the next two days as a thank you gift.”

The End


End file.
